Veterans Who’ve Made an Impact on our Country and our Company

As we celebrate Veterans Day here in the United States I often think back to when I transitioned out of the military and into corporate America back in 1997. It was a time when I was unsure about what the future held. I learned valuable lessons during my time in the Air Force and my transition into the civilian workplace that continue to be applicable in my day-to-day responsibilities at Edgewell.

I’m proud of my service and where my path has taken me, and I know that every day at Edgewell we make an effort to welcome and support Veterans through our policies, programs, and shared experiences. We strive to create a workplace where our diversities are celebrated and no matter what your background is or where you’re coming from, we believe that your unique experiences and skills are what will make this organization even stronger.

This year I’d like to shine a light on some of our teammates who are members of our Veterans Teammate Resource Group. They’ve been kind enough to share their own unique experiences as Veterans. I invite you to take a moment and read their stories as we celebrate our Veterans here in the U.S. – we’re so proud to have them as part of our team.

• How was your transition after leaving the military?
• Eric Treschuck | VP, Global People Strategy & Development: “I had a good transition from U.S. AirForce to General Mills in 1998. I worked with Cameron-Brooks (a junior military officer recruiting firm) similar to Rod, and they helped a great deal with the transition.”
• Roy Jaoude | Inventory Manager, Supply Chain: “My transition from the military into my current career in Supply Chain Management was challenging and an adventure. I was fortunate enough to use a computer and learn Microsoft Excel in my last 2 years of service which was a key skill that landed me a role as a temporary employee at my first company. I gradually took on more and more responsibilities due to my eagerness to learn, discipline and organizational skills all of which were developed in the Army. I eventually moved on to lead an ever-increasing team which again, tapped into a skill which I first developed while serving.”
• How do our values align with the military's values?
• Barbara Massa | Global Project Manager, Research and Development: “Edgewell’s People First value relates to our Veterans in the sense that they are critical as individuals and collectively as a unit. In the Military you must Own it Together, which is a core EPC value. Here at Edgewell, everything we do is based on teams working together. Another EPC value, Listen Up & Speak Up, also aligns. Being in the Military, you must be able to listen to your leaders, listen to your troops, listen to what the mission requires to be successful. At the same time, you need to speak up when you see an issue or when things don’t go as planned and then work together to get back on track. As a Program Manager at Edgewell, I know that this value is very important. During core team calls, team members all listen and speak up in order to understand each area’s needs and ensure we are all on the same page. Each person matters and their collective engagement with each other brings our products to life. In the Military, all these values together allow it to Move Forward for a successful mission and for the safety and security of our country and all its people, just as all of these values collectively allow Edgewell to grow and bring quality personal care products to our consumers.”
• How does Edgewell uplift Veterans?
• Arlen Lewis | Senior Training and Development Specialist: “In the past few years Edgewell has done a great job uplifting veterans. From our own Teammate Resource Group, to recognizing the Veterans Day holiday at the company, to making a concerted effort to try to find and hire Veterans. Edgewell is looking out for today’s Vet teammates and looking forward to welcoming in more of the community here, in the future.”
• Roy Jaoude | Inventory Manager, Supply Chain: “My very first interview at Edgewell happened to be with a veteran who recognized the value that we bring to a company.”